October 25, 2014

THIS IS GETTING REALLY RIDICULOUS!

These election emails are indicative of how insane the predicament is that we're in. Social Security is a popular program that will be solvent for decades. The elderly and disabled rely on it. But many politicians would rather have more money to spend on things we don't need or want, like wars in faraway places where we're already despised and never will be trusted even if we were doing the right thing. And I do mean IF. In order to get that extra money, the politicians would gladly swipe money from the elderly and disabled since Social Security is solvent. That would shaft the most vulnerable people in our society, and break a promise that they'd get all that money they'd paid into back one day. You're probably thinking "I'll bet it's those rotten Republicans who want to chop Social Security." Actually, no. It's both parties. Obama himself considered a cut to SS called chained CPI. The candidates to support on this are the progressive ones--like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who actually want to expand SS to keep up with rising costs of living. So here's an email from ACTBLUE asking me to give money so that we can elect candidates who will ensure that others can get the money they were promised. The campaign is called Social Security Works--because the program does work. But why would our looney, priorities-usually-wrong government want to keep something that was working and helping people? The mind boggles. Pay to keep something good that everyone likes. Does that make sense to you? The democracy that you pay for if you actually want it to represent you and your interests occasionally.

ACTBLUE: This week, the Social Security Administration announced the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2014, and it’s a measly 1.7%. In fact, the last three years, COLAs have been below 2%. As the cost of food, utilities, housing and prescription drugs continue to rise, 1.7% is simply not enough to keep up. But there are still those in Washington who believe this is too generous!

The people who rely most on Social Security—the elderly, disabled and veterans—spend more on health care than the general population, and those costs have been rising rapidly. That’s why Congress needs to listen to the people and implement the more generous CPI-E, which puts the cost of living formula in line with how Social Security beneficiaries actually spend their benefits. There are bills in the Senate that will make the COLA fairer—but without electing more Social Security champions, they’ll never pass.

The only way things will ever change is if we elect U.S. Senators who will take a strong stance on expanding Social Security benefits. That’s why Social Security Works is fighting alongside Social Security champions Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren every day, ensuring that expansion is the winning issue for Democrats this fall.

If we aren’t able to push Social Security champions like Mark Begich and Bruce Braley across the finish line on Election Day, we will be back on defense in 2015, once again fighting to stop the COLA-slashing Chained CPI.

Please, support our efforts today and tell every Democratic U.S. Senate candidate that Social Security expansion is THE winning issue this November.